1
 
 
          1                   UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
 
          2            FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
 
          3                        CHARLOTTE DIVISION
 
          4
               UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,    )
          5                                 )
                                            )
          6            vs.                  )  File No. 3:97CR23-P
                                            )  STATEMENT OF MR. BARNETTE
          7    AQUILIA MARCIVICCI BARNETTE, )  AFTER JURY RETURNS VERDICT
                                            )  OF DEATH
          8            Defendant.           )
                                            )
          9
 
         10
 
         11                 Transcript of proceedings before the Honorable
 
         12    ROBERT D. POTTER, Senior United States District Court Judge,
 
         13    before Scott A. Huseby, Official Court Reporter and Notary
 
         14    Public, on the 10th day of February, 1998.
 
         15    APPEARANCES:
 
         16    For the United States:
 
         17       ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR.
                  THOMAS G. WALKER
         18       Assistant United States Attorneys
                  227 West Trade Street, Suite 1700
         19       Charlotte, North Carolina  28204
 
         20    On Behalf of the Defendant:
 
         21       GEORGE V. LAUGHRUN, Esq.
                  Suite 602
         22       301 South McDowell Street
                  Charlotte, North Carolina  28204
         23
 
         24
 
         25
 
 
 
 
 
 
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          1    APPEARANCES: (Continued)
                  PAUL J. WILLIAMS, Esq.
          2       Suite 801
                  301 South McDowell Street
          3       Charlotte, North Carolina  28204
 
          4
 
          5                              ---
 
          6            THE COURT:  All right, if you ask your client if he
 
          7    wants to say anything before I sentence today.
 
          8            THE DEFENDANT:  Since this trial started, I haven't had
 
          9    a chance to address the families, and I wanted to very badly.
 
         10    And I would just like to tell you that I've stared in your eyes
 
         11    and I've felt your pain, no matter what these guys say, I hurt.
 
         12    This shouldn't have happened, none of it should have happened.
 
         13    I'm ashamed of myself.  I used to be able to look you in the
 
         14    eye, I can't do it anymore.
 
         15            You might listen to these guys, they want my life,
 
         16    that's fine, because I don't know, you know, if I want to keep
 
         17    my life because it shouldn't have happened.  They said a lot of
 
         18    bad things about me, you heard a lot of bad things about me, but
 
         19    you haven't heard any good, and that's fine.  Because nobody
 
         20    deserves to hear any good about me.  I took something from you
 
         21    that you very much deserved to keep, and I hurt because I know
 
         22    you hurt, and I know of your loss.
 
         23            Bertha, I loved your daughter more than anything in this
 
         24    world, and it hurts me that she is not here.  It hurts.
 
         25    Mr. Allen, I know I did not know your son, but I know how you
 
 
 
 
 
 
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          1    feel.  You may not believe me, you may never believe me, but
 
          2    that's the truth.  They called me a lair, they called me
 
          3    everything, but I know how I feel.
 
          4            They sentenced me to death, that's fine.  The worst
 
          5    thing they could have done is sentence me to life because I live
 
          6    every day in a little block and think about what I did.  And
 
          7    that is painful.  That hurts worse than anything I've ever felt,
 
          8    and I feel it every day.  And I can only imagine what you are
 
          9    going through.
 
         10            I may have done a lot of bad things but I've never done
 
         11    anything like that.  And to think about what I've done to you,
 
         12    both families, and to my family, it hurts.  And I'm very sorry.
 
         13            I can't and I will never ask you to forgive me, because
 
         14    I don't deserve to be forgiven.  I would never ask you for mercy
 
         15    because I don't deserve it.  I don't deserve a second chance.
 
         16    They've said a lot of things that I agree with.  Regardless of
 
         17    what my attorneys have tried to do, I've agreed with the
 
         18    prosecution on a lot of stuff, because I was wrong.
 
         19            And I want you to know straight from me that I do feel
 
         20    for you, and I do feel for the pain, and I still pray every day,
 
         21    and I will never stop because I know you won't.
 
         22            To my family, I am sorry and I love you all.
 
         23            Thank you, Your Honor.
 
         24            MR. LAUGHRUN:  Thank you, Judge Potter.
 
         25            THE COURT:  Thank you, Mr. Barnette